Magnums

["DoubleAction"]

Growing up in the Fifties and Sixties had it's share of exposure to handguns. This was a time when six guns were still worn as duty revolvers, and the .45 was the standard chambering for our military issued semi-automatic. With the double action revolvers, the association of Magnums and uniform police was one of admirable applause to those of us who caught sight of a magnum in a duty rig. The magnum revolvers were distinguishable by their wide butt stocks on the N-Frames of the Smith & Wessons, unlike the frame encased stocks of the 38 specials.
After growing older, I began encountering the mid frame .357 magnums, and often wondered about those large butts of the duty magnums I saw as a younger boy. It was not long before I found out about the gun that I had admired for so long, the S&W Model 27 on the large N-Frame. My preference in barrel length for an all round Combat Revolver is 4 inches, especially in the .357 magnum.


Checkered top strap and sight rib, a sign of true craftsmanship and pride.Prior to the model 29, this revolver was the flagship of the Smith & Wesson line up of handguns, came with a wooden presentation box. Introduced as the .357 Magnum in 1935.

[tptplayer]

That is a beautiful gun DA. Nice pictures too. I shot a friends Model 27 over Christmas. It was a pleasure to shoot.

["DoubleAction"]

Thanks tpt

Next up on the hit parade of Magnums is the Smith & Wesson 44 magnum - Model 29; Thanks to Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry, this gun has become an American icon and became the platform for many versions of the Model 29 that followed.

["DoubleAction"]

I know most of you must be thinking about Elmer Keith's contribution of having fathered the 44 magnum cartridge, and how thoughtless it is of me of not having introduced him, along with the 29.
The truth is, whenever the 44 magnum comes to mind, as does the name "Elmer Keith", but many Americans know very little of the 44 magnum, the Model 29, or anything outside the fictional character played by Clint Eastwood. One thing for sure, sales for the Model 29 sky rocketed after the introduction of the Dirty Harry Magnum.
Dirty Harry wasn't the first movie which featured the Model 29 in a high profile role; In 1968 Lee Marvin starred in a movie call "Point Blank", with Angie Dickinson, ( the original version of Mel Gibson's "Payback" ), where he carried a 4" Model 29. This was the first time I had ever seen a 44 magnum used in a motion picture, using realistic sound effects.

[Mountaineer]

DA, do you remember the Dirty Harry movie with the 3 rookie motorcycle cops? They were in the indoor shooting range and Harry says this 44 Magnum is the most powerful handgun in the world, but he said he was shooting .44 specials in it for better control. That sorta made it a .44 Special. Oh well that's Hollywood for you

[Callahan]

As I recall that was the second Dirty Harry movie, "Magnum Force" and the three cops at the range were "dirty." Ah, the golden days of Hollywood!

["DoubleAction"]

Mountaineer said:

DA, do you remember the Dirty Harry movie with the 3 rookie motorcycle cops? They were in the indoor shooting range and Harry says this 44 Magnum is the most powerful handgun in the world, but he said he was shooting .44 specials in it for better control. That sorta made it a .44 Special. Oh well that's Hollywood for you

Mountaineer; I do remember, the year was 1973, and the movie was "Magnum Force". One of the cops, asked Harry about the load he shot, Harry replied that it was a light special for better control, same recoil as a .357 wadcutter magnum. The S&W Harry had was, in fact, a S&W Model 29, with the 6 1/2" barrel, which was shortened to 6" during the production of the 29-2. It was a 44 magnum, he just preferred to shoot specials in it.
To substantiate Harry's claim that the Model 29, using 44 specials, had the same recoil as the .357 wadcutter magnums, my brother and I took my 4" Python, same as used in the movie by the cops, and my 29, using the 44 specials, and the wadcutters for the Python. Harry was right, recoil was about the same.
After I found out how mild the specials were in that gun, I understood the ease Harry took to the one hand grip.
Lee Marvin's character ( Walker ), in Point Blank, used a 4" Model 29, and it was magnums. ;D

[Mountaineer]

DA, With all the nice Double Action Revolvers you have, you picked a very good Nickname for this forum ;D I've never owned a S&W Model 27, but I did own a S&W Model 28, which is a plain jane version of the model 27, I wish I still had it. BTW,speaking of those 3 rookie motercycle cops in Magnum Force, I know two of their real names, Robert Urich and David Soul, do you know the other ones name?

["DoubleAction"]

Mountaineer said:

DA, With all the nice Double Action Revolvers you have, you picked a very good Nickname for this forum ;D I've never owned a S&W Model 27, but I did own a S&W Model 28, which is a plain jane version of the model 27, I wish I still had it. BTW,speaking of those 3 rookie motercycle cops in Magnum Force, I know two of their real names, Robert Urich and David Soul, do you know the other ones name?

Mountaineer; Tim Matheson was the rookie at the range, who asked about the load he was using ( The Rookie who shot Harry's 29 ), the other unknown actor eludes me. Those S&W revolvers will be around for a long time, plenty was produced, you'll stumble upon another.

[Oregunner]

DoubleAction, those a sure some nice N-frames, something about the quality and beautiful finish of the
older pinned barrel Smiths.
I don't think I've ever seen that Lee Marvin movie,
"Point Blank", I'll have to look it up sometime.
Your mention of Elmer Keith made me jump in here.
If you enjoy reading and haven't read his book, "Hell
I was there", you need to read it some time. I'm not
a big book reader but this one I have read twice.
It's his life autobiography and tells it all in Keith's
colorful fashion, he was a real "man's man".

["DoubleAction"]

Thanks, and Welcome to our forum Oregunner; There are two movies of the name "Point Blank", so beware, one is a cheap Mickey Rourke shoot up, and the other is a well made classic.
I'll add some more stuff on the N Frames within the next few days.
I've heard alot of stories about Elmer Keith over the years by those who knew him, but I've never read any of his books. I'm not big on reading either, but I'll make a note to visit Barnes and Noble again one day to check on his autobiography.
Elmer Keith grew up at a time in this country when men were measured quite differently than how they are measured today. As with the men he admired from growning up; He left behind his own legacy, which revolutionized the large bore handgun for all time to come, paving the way for many to follow. The earlier N Frames represent part of that history.